More news from SF City Attorney Dennis Herrera:
City Attorney Dennis Herrera has reached an agreement with Mirant to permanently shutter the company’s Potrero power plant by the end of 2010, and to secure the Atlanta-based energy giant’s unprecedented commitment to join the City in actively pushing for the plant’s closure should state or federal energy regulators attempt to delay it. Under terms of the agreement signed by Mirant officials today, the company will also pay at least $1 million to the City to help address pediatric asthma in nearby communities and to initiate other mitigations in neighborhoods adjacent to the fossil-fueled facility. Mirant will pay another $100,000 to the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office for legal fees and costs.
The groundbreaking accord follows nearly a decade of often bitterly contentious legal, political and regulatory maneuvering by Herrera, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, the S.F. Public Utilities Commission and many other community leaders to finally close the City’s last remaining large power plant. Efforts in recent years to speed the closure of the nearly 50-year-old facility have included opposing the renewal of the state permit for its antiquated “once-through” cooling system, and working to install cleaner, municipally-owned replacement generators that had been secured in a 2002 legal settlement to meet state-mandated electricity generation requirements. Earlier this year, Herrera also filed a civil lawsuit against Mirant for violating the City’s Unreinforced Masonry Buildings ordinance at the Potrero site.
“This is a major step forward for a San Francisco that will be cleaner, greener and healthier because of what we’ve achieved today,” said Herrera. “Notwithstanding the occasionally unkind words we’ve exchanged in years past, I must today commend Mirant for its cooperative spirit and forward-thinking leadership. In working with us to forge an agreement that few would have thought possible even a few months ago, Mirant ultimately proved its commitment to being a good neighbor and a willing partner. This is testimony to their hard work as well as ours, and it is vindication for the efforts of all the leaders throughout the years who’ve worked to close this power plant. I am particularly grateful to Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, former Board President Aaron Peskin, PUC General Manager Ed Harrington, and former PUC General Manager Susan Leal for being such effective partners every step of the way. My own office also lent considerable expertise throughout the case, but I’m especially thankful to Chief Assistant City Attorney Jesse Smith and Energy Team Chief Theresa Mueller for their tireless work.”
While this may not seem that huge to those outside of SF, but this is really big. The pollutants being pumped out of this plant have been both controversial and extremely unhealthy. A resolution, if all stakeholders get on board, would be a boon for the City.